Automobile ignition lock



April- 1935' c. M. H. ATHERTON 1,997,289

AUTOMOBILE IGNITION LOCK Filed Aug. 14, 1934 INVENTOR. CHA RLEs M. I-LATHERTON BY QZFMLLQM A ATTORNEY Patented Apr; 9, 1935 F viz" 1,997,289

aUroMoBIL IGmnoN Look I e 7 of Charles AthertomViennmAush-ia y-fipplication 'Aug' st [14,-f 1934, Serial Nb. 739,730

"I'his'invention relate sto a device adaptedfor usegas an; automobile ignition lock and more particularly to an ignition lockof a type in which it is necessary to set up a predetermined combi- I nation. before one can insert a suitableqkey and:

thereby close theignition' circuit.

An important object of the invention is ito.v

provide a' novel and advantageous device of the class specified. Important features of the invention; also relate to simplicity of construction, economy in manufacture, and effectivenessin use.

According to a preferred ;for m'of the invention, the lock and the switch of the ignition coil; are so placed that a suitable key, when inserted through the lock may be used to close the switch, the switch being openedupon removal; of, the key. Preferably use ismade of three discs rotatable'abouta common axis, the outer disc having a radial slot to receive the'key, thepinner disc having a spring-supported radial flap or sectorwhich maybe forced back to admit the key, and the: intermediate disc having a, spring supported. radial flap or sector which maybe forced back to admit the key'and which is -pro-. vided witha projection or pin extending to -the surface of theinner disc and preventingmovement of the associated flap ,unless'the. pin. is positioned over the flap in theinner disc. In order to prevent opening of the look by insert,- ing the key inthe outerdisc and. slowly rotating the discsto feel for the. slight grooves at the sides of the sectors andthus, puttingthe discs in their proper relative positions, the intermediate and innerdiscs may; be provided :witlr-radial dummy grooves similar'to-those atj the;sec-v tors, No clue'canlthen be obtained as to which are the grooves at the sectors andwhich are the dummy grooves. 7 v; f,-

: Other objects, features andadvantageswill appear upon consideration of thefollowing detailed description andyof the "drawing, in which ,Fig. l is a view. of the face of 'thelock; =Fig. 2isa section taken alonga'diameter of theface of the lock I i r 1 Fig. 3 isa view on ajreducedscale'of theouter disc ofthe lock; '2 Fig. 4 isa-similar view ofythey-intermediate disc}; 1 f.- I Fig. 5 is a similar iViGWOf theainside discyand Fig.6 is a view taken on the line 656 01.- :Fig. 5. A Referring to the drawing, the preferred :form

of the invention comprises three discs Hi, I l-and l 2 of suitable material, such as metal, so mounted that they may rotate independently of one anf other, but about-a common axis, in a casing 13,

I f e -e"' 1-2 7, .v preferably a die-casting; Discalfl may be setby." I

inserting a key l l ina radial keyhole tiand; turning the disc to the desired positiongljlisc II maybe set by means of a knob l6 secured-by aset screw l1 to-a bushing l8; which in turn-is 15.,

secured in any suitablemanner to the disc. .Disc;

I 2 may be set by means of aknob l9 securedby a set screw 20 toa-shaft-2l to which the disc,

is secured in any suitable manner. The shaft; 2| may be rotatablymounted in a bushingizz projecting from the; bottom of the casing, As illustrated, the disc 2 is positioned at the, top of the-bushing 22,.the disc I l rotateson the shaft 2| and rests'on a bushing projecting from [the disc IZ, andthe disc 10 ,rotateson' the bushing l8 and is supported'by a shoulder or ledge onthe.

The casing I3 may be rmounted ina suitable opening in a dashboard Hand-the various discs maybe held inthe casing bya ring M, preferably of metal, "of such size and so placed as to cover the edge-of disc '10 while" allowingit to rotate-easily. ,I'he. ring 24 may1beSecured -direct ly to the dashboard or,here shown, may

bezsecured to the casing. t3 vby; suitable; means such as screws 25. The ring may also-be*pro-: vided with suitable radial graduations and accompanying numbers for use-in. connectionwith arrows 2 6, 27 and-28 =on the'knobs :IB) and [9,-

respectively, in placing the discs in desired'angu 3 p s tions p? 1 Small radial flaps or sectors-29: and-.38 are mounted in corresponding.openings'in discs H and i2, respectively,bymeansIof-spring hinges r 3| which normally 1101a" the sectors inuaised -position With Shoulder 32 (Fig? 6) at the edges of the sectors in engagement fwith the discs.- Preferably the sector'slar'e held just below the surfaces of the di s'csthus forming radial grooves. Ilhe sector 29" on' disc H is prerersb y a -little i smaller than s'ector'3llondisc.I2,1so that itm'ay enter the opening in disc; l 2.when the sector 3;} is moved to ,open .position.,byl.a pin 33 projecting downwardlygfroni thesectoriil and of'such a 45 length that its end. willgtouch the upper surface of disc 12 and prevent depression of sector29 unless the pinrests'on sector 30. Qbviously when the keyhole I5, the sector 29 and the sector 30 are in line, the key,- if pressedinwardly through 5Q- the keyhole, will effect depression of sectors?!) and 39 and the key. may be passedthrough an opening, 34' in the bottom ofthe casinglS and an opening 35 in an ignition coil casing 3 6, into engagement withaswitch 31 of an ignition :coil

38 to render the corresponding ignition system effective.

In order to prevent any one from putting the discs Ill, H and 12 into proper position to admit the key by inserting the key and locating the grooves over the sectors .29 and by feeling for the grooveswhile slowly rotating the discs, a series of dummy grooves 39 may be provided on disc II and a corresponding series of grooves maybe provided onv the disc l2, Then no clue will be obtained bypressure with; the key. as to which are the grooves at the sectors and which are the dummy grooves.

A unique feature of the illustrated. some; the invention is that the indication on the ring 24, toward which the-arrows 2,6,; 2,]:an.d-. ..8-l?0int1 when the discs are in proper position, may be changed at will by putting" the discs in ,proper' position, inserting the key, removing onloosen ing one or both set screws l1 and 29, rotatingto a now reading whichever knob It or I9 has been released, and tightening whichever set'sorewhas beenloosened-r V Thering 2 has already-been described as secured to thecasing 1-3 by screws 25 butit may be-- secured thereto by other means, for example,

' asillustrated, by means of spring-pressed pins 4-1 projected from suitable bores in an annular;

flange 42- of thering N, projecting downwardly into a corresponding-groove in theupper part ol the casing l 3, into a suit'ablerecess 43}. This recess-may extend completely around the central partof thecasing, thus permitting the ring 24' to=be= ro tated on the casirig l3-todifferent posi: time when the screws iwiai-e removed;- and the casing may be provided with additional screw holes to receive the screws 25 when the r n is shitted. This would-"provide another way for setting up-a' new combination. I

the indices or arrows 26, 21 and 28 into line with the proper numbered graduations on the ring 24-the; disc I10; being turned preferably by the M inserted-1 inv the keyhole 15 the disk H being turned by the knob l6 andthe (use l2 being turned by the knob 119. The key may then be-pressed'inwardly andafter depressing the sectors 23 and 30, (Fig. 2')- enter the switch?! and close-the ignition coil. circuit. Obviously the order in which thediscs are brought to the proper positions immaterial. When; the ignition: is, to be locked, the key is withdrawn: and the disc's: are turned to. other positions. J 5 It, should be understood that various changes may be made and that certainieatur s-m y be used, without others, without. departing from the true scope and spirit oi; theinventionr r Having s de ed m r nv n cnl lrclaimz 1. Ina devi e of the. c a .spe fied;.ari ignis tion switch operable by-a key-and means for controlling the admission of the key comprising 'a rotatable disc having a keyhole brought, into 7 alignment with'the switch by rotation ofithe disc, a second rotatableidisc back of the first and provided with a spring-supported sector to be engaged by the key when the sector is back .of the keyhole, a third rotatable disc having a larger spring-supported sector, a pin projecting from the second disc toward the third and serving by engagement with the third disc to prevent depression of the sector in the second disc unless in line with the sector in the third disc, and means for turning said discs to the proper relative positions.

2. In a device ofthe class, specified; an igniticn.-.switch..operabl by a key'and means for controlling the admission of the key comprising a; rotatable dischaving a keyhole brought into alignment with the switch by rotation of the disc, a second rotatable disc back of the first and provided with; a spring-supported sector to be engaged by the key when the sector is back of the keyhole, a third -'rotatable disc having a larger spring-supported sector, a pin projecting from the second disc toward the third and serving by engagement with the third disc to prevent depression of thesector in the second disc unless in-line with the sector-in the third disc, a'cas'ing.

projectingmm the bottom-thereof, ashaft onwhich the third disc is mounted, said shaft being rotatable in said bushing and extending out of said casing, a knobron the-outer end of said shaft for turning the same, a sleeveon said shaft between saidthird discand said knob, said second disc being mounted on the sleeve adjacent the inner end thereof, a'knob on the outer end of said sleeve, and a graduated ring secured against the outer sideofsaid casingand overlying the outer edge of the first or-outer disc to hold all of the v tation of the disc, is second: rotatable disc back of the-first and-provided with a spring-supported movable portion adapted to be moved out of" the way of th'e'key by pressure of the key thereagainst, a thirddisc rotatable backof the sec 0nd and having a; portionthrough which said key maybepassedwhenthe disc is properly positionedwith reference to said second disc, and

means 'co-trolledby the thirddisc to prevent opening movement of said movable portion of the second disc'unless the second and third discs are properly positioned relative to each other.

4. In a device controlled by -the insertion ofa key, a fixed part having a keyhole through which the key passes-substantially at'the end of its insertionlmovement, a rotatable disc outside of said fixed member provided with amovable sectorspring' hinged to the disc and-limitedin its spring-urged movement to a'position back or the outer face of the disc thereby-'providinga groove at] the face; and a key -r'eceiving rotatable device at the outer side of said disc to enablethe key in the rotatable device to bebrought'into alignment with said movable sector and with said keyhole, saidfdisc-being; provided at'its outer face with radial dummy grooves to render it difiic'ult in'which said discs rotate and having a bushing to locate by feeling therefor the groove at the outer side of said movable sector. I

5-.In a device controlled by theinsertion of a key, at fixed part having akeyhole through which-the key passessubstantially at the end of its insertion movement, a rotatable disc outside of said fixed member provided with a movable sector spring-hinged in the disc at its inner end and limited in its spring-urged movement to a position back of the outerface of the disc thereby providing a. groove at'said outer face, said disc being provided with radial dummy grooves to interfere with finding the sector by feeling with the key, a second or intermediate disc having a spring-hinged sector limited in its movement to provide a groove at the outer side of the sector and disc, said intermediate disc having radial'dummy grooves serving the same purpose as the grooves in the inner disc, and a disc at the outer side of said intermediate disc having a keyhole in which the key may be inserted to turn CHARLES HQA'I'HERTON.

the disc to bring the keyhole therein over the keyhole in the fixed member so'that the key may be inserted through the second keyhole when the intermediate andjinner discs are properly positioned. 1o 

